Five Common HVAC Myths Debunked

Everyone wants to get the most out of their air conditioner, however listening to advice from friends or family who don’t have HVAC experience rarely helps you get there. In fact, we often hear a number of myths and misconceptions that are filled with false, unreliable information that could actually harm your system. So on this blog, we’ll take a look at just a few of them and set the record straight.

Closing Your Vents Makes Your System More Effective

Many people believe that heating and cooling a little-used room wastes money, so they choose to shut the vents and close the door. The truth is shutting the vents on your room actually creates more pressure in your ducts, which creates resistance on your system, wears out your blower motor, and could even cause a system breakdown. And it doesn’t save you money. Leave your vents open and let your system do its job as intended and you’ll get much better results.

Shorter Operations Save Money

Air conditioners and heaters are the least efficient for the first three to five minutes after startup, so a system that’s frequently turning on and shutting off is actually wasting a ton of energy. Let your system run for 30 to 40 minutes for optimal energy usage.

Crank Down the Temp for Faster Results

Unless you have a variable-speed blower, your system has two speeds: on and off. Cranking the temperature down lower doesn’t push cold air into your home any faster than a more normal setting does, so it’s best to simply set the temperature where you want it and let the system work. You’ll put less strain on your heating and cooling elements as well, which will increase their longevity.

Energy-Efficient Systems Always Save Money

This one is tricky. It’s true that an energy-efficient system can save you a lot of money, but only if you set them up to succeed. Your system must be the right size for your home, your ducts must be in good shape, and your home must be sealed for air leaks in order to prevent unwanted heat loss. If these things are neglected, your energy-efficient system isn’t going to save you anything over your old one.

No Problems? No Problem! Right?

You wouldn’t wait for a catastrophe to get your car serviced, so why would you do the same to your heater or air conditioner? The truth is an annual tune-up service can ensure your systems are ready to handle the demand up ahead and are running as efficiently as possible.